Mary Ruth Wilsted

Mary Ruth Wilsted, 82, of Green Valley, AZ passed away on September 1st, 2026. She is survived by her son Jeff, daughter-in-law Deanne, granddaughter Faith and many nieces and nephews. At the end, she was looking forward to being reunited with her beloved husband, Tom, who pre-deceased her in 2024.

Art, music, family, and basketball… these were the words that defined Mary. She was born in Sturgis, MI growing up with her brothers Robert and Richard in Michigan. She attended Kalamazoo College where she met Tom and they were married in 1966. She enjoyed traveling in her youth and had a transformative experience during college when she studied in Caen, France and lived with a French family. She was also fortunate to travel all throughout Europe with Tom, who was studying in Spain at the time.

Mary, Tom and their 3-year-old son, Jeff, all moved to New Zealand in 1973, one of the most cherished periods of her life. There she raised Jeff while working for AFS (American Field Service), a cultural exchange program for young people. She had an affinity for high schoolers, and after returning to the US in 1978, she channeled this into a career as the college guidance counselor at Wardlaw Hartridge School in Edison NJ. The support and love she showed the kids led to her becoming a surrogate mother and confidante to many of them, some of whom she kept in touch with until her death.

Her own family expanded when her son married in 1998 and then gave her the gift of a grandchild, Faith, in 2004. She was Gammy-bud to Faith. So much more than a grandmother, Mary was Faith’s greatest cheerleader and a twin soul in so many ways, including their shared interests of art and music.

Mary’s love of music flowed over to teaching and playing piano throughout her life. She became the church organist at almost every church she ever attended. Her baby grand piano traveled with her from New Jersey to Wyoming to Connecticut to Arizona. She even learned how to play harp later in her life.

When she moved to Green Valley, she found a wonderful community of friends and discovered a new artistic expression in jewelry making. She joined the local lapidary club, set up a table at various local craft fairs to sell her jewelry and would often repair jewelry for friends. Much of her inspiration came from San Diego, where she and Tom travelled year after year to spend a month at a time in Coronado, watching the dolphins (and Navy Seals) from their balcony.

Few things could compare, however, to her unbridled enthusiasm for the UConn Husky Women’s basketball team. Fortunate to have season tickets during the late 90s and early 2000’s, she remained a dedicated ‘Husky’ throughout her life. Her passion for the team, and watching them play, brought her so much joy… whether through friendships formed or wins celebrated. In fact, the last thing she ever watched, with her son Jeff the week before she died, was the documentary about the UCONN Dynasty. She laughed and waved to all of her favorite players on the screen while recounting memories of her beloved Huskies.

And this, more than anything, was the bright spirit of Mary’s life… friends and family. Her sense of humor, care for others and infectious smile was a gift for those who knew and loved her. That lovely spirit will be missed more than she could possibly have ever imagined.

A service to celebrate Mary’s life will be held at The Good Shepherd UCC, 17750 South La Cañada Drive, Sahuarita, AZ 85629, at a later date.